On the afternoon of September 8, André Luis, a Brazilian forward for Shanghai Shenhua, underwent a successful endoscopic lumbar discectomy at Jiahui International Hospital in Shanghai.
The procedure was performed as day surgery, and he was discharged the next day—a short recovery aimed at minimizing disruption to his training. He is expected to miss several weeks of the current season while recovering.
André Luis’ lumbar problem had worsened over the past six weeks, with intermittent sciatica in his right leg caused by a herniated disc troubling the 31 year old striker.
After trying various conservative treatments, his symptoms were not relieved, affecting both his daily training and his match performances.
"Compression of nerve roots by a herniated lumbar disc is a common cause of sciatica, which can lead to nerve function damage and seriously affect the competitive performance of professional athletes," said Dr. Danny DONG, Deputy Chief of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine of Jiahui Health. When conservative treatments were not effective, minimally invasive surgery became the preferred option.
After a comprehensive assessment, the club decided to arrange surgical treatment for Luis. A relevant person in charge of the club stated that the player's health is the top priority, and they hope to resolve the injury problem as soon as possible through surgery.
The endoscopic lumbar discectomy performed during Luis' surgery is a signature minimally invasive technique at the Jiahui Spine Clinic of Jiahui International Hospital. Compared to traditional open surgery, it involves less trauma, reduced bleeding, and a faster recovery time.
"In recent months, I have been suffering from severe back pain, which limited my performance in training, games, and also my daily interactions with my family. However, my desire to help the team was so great that it pushed me to exceed my body's limits, resulting in a significant herniated disc. We tried conservative treatment, but it was ineffective, so we opted for surgery to remove it. I thank the team at Jiahui Hospital, the nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists for their excellent work. Now, I will begin my recovery and hope to return to training and games as soon as possible."
Dr. Tim Xia, Luis's attending physician and orthopedic surgeon at Jiahui Health, introduced: "While ensuring therapeutic outcomes, minimally invasive surgery effectively protects soft tissues such as muscles, allowing athletes to resume training earlier and more safely."
Moreover, the post-operative rehabilitation plan allows the patient to get out of bed on the day of the surgery and receive professional rehabilitation guidance the next day. This active and rapid rehabilitation model is crucial for professional athletes who are racing against time to return to the pitch.
In addition, the rehabilitation process focuses not only on the safety of the surgery itself but also on ensuring a complete recovery of physical fitness. It incorporates personalized training when setting phased goals.
Compared to conventional rehabilitation, this approach accurately balances post-operative safety with the recovery of professional sports ability.
Such a rehabilitation plan usually requires the involvement of a multidisciplinary team including the attending physician, team doctor, and physical trainer in its formulation and implementation.
This season, Luis has made 22 appearances for Shanghai Shenhua, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists, making him a key offensive player for the team. His absence will undoubtedly have an impact on the club manager’s team selection and tactical arrangements.
Shanghai Shenhua Football Club stated that the medical team will closely cooperate with Jiahui International Hospital to follow up on Luis' rehabilitation process throughout and strive to help him return to his best form as soon as possible.
For the past two years, Jiahui International Hospital has been engaged in a long-term partnership with Shanghai Shenhua Football Club, providing ongoing medical services for many of the team’s players.
In recent years, the incidence of lumbar injuries among professional football players and sports enthusiasts has been gradually increasing. Approximately 30% of professional football players will suffer from waist and back injuries of varying degrees throughout their careers, among which lumbar disc herniation is one of the most common types.
The Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine of Jiahui International Hospital advises both athletes and non-athletes to take precautions to avoid lumbar injuries, emphasizing that prevention is more important than treatment.
Building a strong core, focusing on recovery after training, having regular medical check-ups, and assessing sports-related risks can create a solid foundation for your lumbar spine. If you experience discomfort, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention promptly. Getting the right treatment is essential for regaining your health.
Jiahui Orthopedics
& Sports Medicine Center
The Jiahui Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Center has a team of experienced spinal surgery specialists. They offer routine spinal surgery services across various areas, including degenerative spinal diseases, spinal trauma, spinal deformities, and spinal tumors.
Dr. John Hsiang, Chairman of the Jiahui Health Executive Committee, has over 30 years of clinical experience in neurosurgery. Dr. Hsiang received his MD and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago. He completed his internship and neurosurgical residency training at the University of California San Diego. He has held important positions in many renowned medical institutions in the United States, including Director of Neurosurgery and Senior Neurosurgeon at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle and Consulting Neurosurgeon at the Virginia Mason Medical Center. His professional fields cover neurosurgery and spinal surgery.
Dr. Danny Dong, Deputy Chief of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine at Jiahui Health, has 20 years of clinical experience. He has completed fellowships in spine surgery at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle and Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. He is particularly proficient in minimally invasive spinal surgery, including various minimally invasive techniques such as percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy.
Dr. Tim Xia, orthopedic surgeon at Jiahui Health, has more than 10 years of clinical experience in orthopedics. He has studied minimally invasive spinal surgery techniques at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, USA, and the Cleveland Clinic. He is good at diagnosing and treating various cervical and lumbar diseases and can perform minimally invasive spinal surgeries such as percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic surgery and minimally invasive lumbar fusion surgery.
In addition, the center also has Dr. Liang Yu from Ruijin Hospital and Dr. Chen Xiongsheng from Shanghai General Hospital as distinguished consultants.
Dr. Liang Yu is the Deputy Director of Orthopedics and Director of Spinal Surgery at Ruijin Hospital, and he is skilled in non-surgical and minimally invasive surgical treatment of various degenerative spinal diseases.
Dr. Chen Xiongsheng has worked at Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and Shanghai General Hospital successively. He currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Orthopedic Clinical Medicine Center and the Director of the Third Department of Spinal Surgery. He specializes in the surgical treatment of cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament and has invented the anterior cervical ossification en bloc resection (ACOE) technique.
Jiahui Health
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Jiahui follows international standards to provide safe and reliable healthcare, from health management and outpatient services to complex surgery and inpatient treatments, in addition to seamlessly connecting overseas referrals.
Jiahui provides family-centered long-term continuous care, meeting the healthcare need of each stage of life.
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[All images courtesy of Jiahui Health]
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